Xinran was 31 and troubled by a number of issues. He had debts with credit card companies, was in trouble with his landlord for non-payment of rent and had recently had a dispute with a neighbour. He openly admitted that any time he tried to solve these problems with the various individuals or organisations he would end up getting angry, argue with whoever he was dealing with and fail to reach any positive conclusion. As a result of this, Xinran believed that no-one was interested in him, or was prepared to listen to his point of view.
The advocate spent time with Xinran and together they made a record about what he hoped to achieve with each situation and considered the various possible outcomes. Next, they held an initial meeting for each situation during which Xinran was supported to express his views in a constructive way. Following these meetings, the independent advocate gave him time to reflect and comment on progress, as well as identify what he wanted to do next. Gradually, Xinran was able to work towards each of the outcomes he had hoped for.
Over time, with the independent advocate acting as a role model in preparing for and participating in meetings, Xinran became confident in being able to express himself. He was eventually in a position to attend meetings and represent himself using his newfound skills and confidence.
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